Dakota Ross: Our Story

When I think about Dakota Ross, I don’t see it merely as a company. To me, it embodies a belief - a belief that people do their best work when they feel deeply supported and fully aligned with who they are and what they do.

The Origin of a Belief

For Kodi, this belief was born through sports, both in the pool and on the tennis court. As an elite athlete, he lived in an environment that many never experience: surrounded by coaches, mentors, guides, and supporters, all committed to unlocking his best potential. What I’ve come to appreciate, listening to him and other athletes, is that his performance was always directly linked to alignment - between who he was, how he played, and where he wanted to go.

Then, when his sports career ended abruptly due to a severe back injury, Kodi found himself grappling with a big question: Why should that kind of support stop with sport? What if the same tools that help athletes find alignment could assist anyone unlock who they really want to be?

That question became the seed of Dakota Ross.

Dakota Ross from left to right - Alex Weetch, Luis Fuentes, Kodi Lewis

The Journey Begins

Initially, it wasn’t a business at all. It began as Kodi navigated the challenging transition from an athlete to “what’s next?” He asked himself the question above and turned back to the structure he knew best: support. That’s when Dr. Ted Klontz stepped in as a mentor, therapist and coach. Over several years of learning alongside Dr. Klontz, they together explored and shaped a way of working rooted in Kodi’s values and experiences. Over time, unlocking Kodi’s skill and approach for profoundly supporting others.

It struck me as an age-old story, one where someone who was helped to make profound shifts, in turn, then wants nothing more than to help others do the same! This approach, this belief, slowly grew into something others around him, like me, could feel and benefit from. Support to unlock oneself.

Then others began to join. Luis Fuentes - Kodi’s former coach between the ages of 14 and 19, and a professional coach for over 40 years - was one of the first. Luis saw immediately what was possible, and these two teamed up again, bringing grounded wisdom and a practical edge while keeping human performance at the centre. It’s no wonder that the first event they organised together was to support the tennis community and Barbados’ elite tennis players, by creating and hosting tennis exhibitions that brought global tennis stars to Barbados.

Caroline Wozniaki & Serena Williams at the Barbados Dream Cup event

A New Chapter

And then - well, that’s where I came in.

Kodi and I had known each other since secondary school. I had just returned to Barbados after years working in brand strategy overseas - helping big names, running campaigns, and chasing impact in the fast-moving agency world. However, I came back searching for something, that for me, would feel more meaningful.

When Kodi and I reconnected, I asked him to help me settle back in and reconnect - after all, this guy knows everyone! However, our conversations kept circling the same truth: people, brands, and businesses all thrive when they’re aligned with their deepest values. For me, I didn’t want to work for or build “just another agency.” I was looking to create a space where brand-building could feel like personal transformation - for founders, for teams, for communities. So you can see the alignment between us!

That’s how Kodi, Luis and Alex reconnected and became a team, committed to helping each other grow. Dakota Ross truly came into being as a reflection of our core beliefs.

Building Together

Today, when I look at what we’re building together and the people and brands we work with, I feel aligned; I feel like I am acting on purpose.